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Infrared technology may bring in-display fingerprint sensors to cheaper phones

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By Mariyan Slavov

Published: Mar 09, 2020, 11:16 AM

Infrared technology may bring in-display fingerprint sensors to cheaper phones

Having an in-display fingerprint sensor is now a common flagship phone feature, and besides looking cool, it offers some practical benefits. Placing the sensor under the display saves real estate and allows for all-screen devices without sacrificing security or convenience. This technology is normally seen in flagship devices not only because it is more advanced, but also because it requires an OLED screen to work, and OLED displays are still expensive.

Now Redmi demonstrates a solution to adding an in-display fingerprint reader to a phone with an LCD display. It is based on an innovative in-display fingerprint sensor that uses infrared light. In a video on Weibo (via Android Authority), the company’s general manager, Lu Weibing, has shown a working prototype of the technology, with the reader built into a regular backlit LCD screen of a Redmi Note8 Pro. A key component of the system is an infrared high-transmittance film material which allows the infrared light to pass through the screen without interfering with the backlight itself.

At this point, it is not clear how accurate and fast the system will actually be, and there’s no information whether any Redmi device will be equipped with this tech in 2020. In any case, using infrared light can bring in-display fingerprint sensors to low-end and middle-tier devices, most of which still use cheaper LCD screens.

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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.

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